FAQ: Toolkit for Equipment Repair

[bobb121]

Here is what I have, can someone tell me what I need to add:

weight
LP shims
vise grips
screwdriver
LP test box
spare tip
just ordered 100 screws
spare sockets(for foil/sabre)
springs
dremel
crescent wrench for tightening pommels and bending tangs
glue
mask punch(just ordered)
triplette ohm meter
screws for favero pins
soldering iron
solder
lamp wire for body cord repair

[commiemermaid]

A blue marker for disguising exposed wire? Nah, just kidding... or am I?

[Medinilla]

Nice addition to the list, but you forgot a few sabre necessities that epeeists disdain to use:

1) Soap, for that after-fencing shower which epeeists know not

2) Deodorant

3) Cologne

4) A bag or towel into which to place sweaty uniform after fencing, instead of the epeeist's favorite container, his mask

5) Washing machine, in which to launder that sweaty uniform

6) Laundry detergent, for use with the aforementioned washing machine

7) Dryer or clothesline, to dry the freshly-laundered uniform ( again in place of the epeeist's "dryer", his mask inside his zipped bag )

8) A pulse


Hee hee. Epee stools.

hahahaha, i should print this and put it in my club's news wall

[pkt]

Do that and see what happens.

PK

[pkt]

A blue marker for disguising exposed wire? Nah, just kidding... or am I?

When I was a foilist - I saw the light and now fence mainly sabre - I had a blue marker to mark off the 15cm mark on the blade so when I re-tape the blade I know where to stop: just cover the blue mark... (m.13.1. "15 cm" no ±, no more no less.)
Now, I use a blue marker to inconspicuously mark up the walls or floor for a piste when i fence at "temporary pistes"...
PK

[pkt]

Here is what I have, can someone tell me what I need to add:

...
spare tip
...

I hope that's just a typo... Just ONE spare tip?
You're missing the most ubiquitous tool:
tape.
Hockey tape is better than duct (come one, not "Duck") tape. White tape is useful in taping up uniforms and gloves...
How about the pins (male parts) of the body and ground wires: the 3mm and 4mm pins?
and last definitely not least:
Needles and white threads...

PK

[TrainingDummy]

Does anyone know of a good epee repair kit for tournaments? My club has a nice armoury bench, but for tournaments I need a kit for when I have tip problems. A fencer at a recent tournament had an absolute fencing kit with extra tip screws, small springs, screwdrivers, large springs (I think), a tin for holding screws, and some other stuff. However, I can't find this kit on AF's website! Does anyone know where I can pick up this kit or a similar one?

[pkt]

... I need a kit for when I have tip problems. A fencer at a recent tournament had an absolute fencing kit with extra tip screws, small springs, screwdrivers, large springs (I think), a tin for holding screws, and some other stuff. However, I can't find this kit on AF's website! Does anyone know where I can pick up this kit or a similar one?

I got my container for tips, wires, etc. in Canadian Tire's outdoor Dept. It's one of those plastic, screw-on-multi-layer container for fishing kits. It's about 1-1/2-inch in diameter, takes up little space and most importantly secure to keep the small things where they're supposed to be.

Use your imagination.

Failing that, fence sabre. You won't have to deal with all these knick-knacks.


PK

[SJCFU#2]

A fencer at a recent tournament had an absolute fencing kit with extra tip screws, small springs, screwdrivers, large springs (I think), a tin for holding screws, and some other stuff. However, I can't find this kit on AF's website! Does anyone know where I can pick up this kit or a similar one?

Leon Paul has several different test/repair kits listed on their website (click here). Or you can simply build your own - all you need are a few small bags of parts (mostly screws), a jewelers screwdriver, maybe a small magnet and something to hold it all. Left over prescription bottles can be used, as can the round plastic cases that rolls of electrical tape sometimes are sold in.

[brtech]

I've done a dozen or so kits for my kids and others in the area. The contents of the kit is:
1. A tightening tool for the type of nut they use. Outside hex if I have any influence
2. A miniature screwdriver set from a dollar store. I magnetize the blades for them
3. A roll of tip tape
4. A 4 in 1 large screwdriver
5. A bag of screws
6. A bag of springs (one of each for epees)
7. 3 replacement tips
8. A handful of cotton swabs
9. A small bottle of alcohol
10. A cheap test box with red and green leds

I've tried a couple of things to hold this in. A heavy duty plastic container doesn't last. A metal box (like an old fashioned cookie tin) also didn't last. The best bet seems to be a small nylon zipper bag. The fencing post one is a good size, although some outside hex tightening tools don't fit. The problem with the bag is that the plastic box the screwdriver set comes in gets crushed. I don't yet have a great solution to that. Having the full set is useful: the second smallest blade is a good tip screwdriver, the smallest one is useful when the tip screws (foil) get buggered. The larger ones are useful for cord repairs. The philips ("+") is useful on some of the off-brand cord connectors. The smaller one is what you need for an Uhlmann clip. So, for a buck, it's a good choice. Lose something, spend another buck and replace it.

[pkt]

...
4. A 4 in 1 large screwdriver
...
8. A handful of cotton swabs
9. A small bottle of alcohol
10. A cheap test box with red and green leds

The best bet seems to be a small nylon zipper bag. ... So, for a buck, it's a good choice. Lose something, spend another buck and replace it.

I went to a JPN 2-dollar store and found some good 3-zippered bags that are long enough to hold even my 6-inch long hex wrench.

As a sabre fencer, I don't need to deal with points, but if you have to, just reinforce the box of screw drivers with transparent tape so they stay intact when crushed...

Because I use 2-prong body wires, I need to have a small screw driver. Instead of carrying another screwdriver, I just ground down the blade of the big one to fit the slot of the screw of the retaining clip of the 2-prong plug.

Oh, I do tape down that small screw to keep it in place. I also hot glue or just tape down the nuts of the body wire so I don't have to deal with them when I need to fix the body wire.

It seems that the Euro-body wires require a lot more attention than the LP ones: too many parts vs the LP ones.

PK

BTW, is the small bottle of alcohol for drowning one's sorrow when one loses?
Just kidding, of course.

PK

[TrainingDummy]

Leon Paul has several different test/repair kits listed on their website (click here). Or you can simply build your own - all you need are a few small bags of parts (mostly screws), a jewelers screwdriver, maybe a small magnet and something to hold it all. Left over prescription bottles can be used, as can the round plastic cases that rolls of electrical tape sometimes are sold in.

Thanks, buying from there.

[Gary Lu]

Absolute is offering the new tool kit that you have the option to choose inside/outside key, French/German screws, spring, tip/barrael, wire, screwdriver....

[Pescados666]

Anyone know the size of the tiny screwdriver or am I going to have to take my spare point with me to Sears when I get it?

[SJCFU#2]

Anyone know the size of the tiny screwdriver or am I going to have to take my spare point with me to Sears when I get it?

Easiest probably to just buy a set of jeweler's screwdrivers (available almost anywhere). That way you're covered not only for a variety of tip screws (they do vary), but also for the set screws on body cord pins.

You may also find that at most retailers (such as Sears), they are only packaged in sets.

edit: If you can find individual screwdrivers in that size than 2mm is probably a decent size for most tip screws.

[Pescados666]

Easiest probably to just buy a set of jeweler's screwdrivers (available almost anywhere). That way you're covered not only for a variety of tip screws (they do vary), but also for the set screws on body cord pins.

You may also find that at most retailers (such as Sears), they are only packaged in sets.

edit: If you can find individual screwdrivers in that size than 2mm is probably a decent size for most tip screws.

My school only uses French points, and I already have the screwdriver at home, but I'd much rather have a nice craftsman one. It'd also allow me to use it to clean glue out of grooves and get a new one for free

It's also because I hate the feel of normal jewlery screwdriver sets. I don't like that metal texture. The Craftsman screwdriver is coated with rubber, which is better.

I was looking on their website and they do have the individual screwdriver. I'll need a laser level for this leveling project that I'm doing, so I already have to go to Harbor Freight. I'll just add Sears to that list

[SJCFU#2]

My school only uses French points

In that case you might consider going down a size to 1.5 or 1 mm - it seems like recent batches of French (Sport 7) screws have had poorly cut slots that require a very small screwdriver.

[brtech]

I use 1.5mm. It seems to work in everything.

The sears ones are fine, but lots of stores don't carry the metric sizes. The Wiha (you want the one with a black body and red spin top, not the all red one) is better, but the Craftsman guarantee is pretty handy sometime. You can mail order either easily.

Don't forget to magnetize the tip.

[Andrei]

Very useful thread helped me start my kit.

[EldRick]

You can find any type of 5mm and 6mm wrenches your hearts desire online at McMaster-Carr. Search for metric wrench.